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Mutually Beneficial
Another one-shot. Unlike many others, it's not a romance or a comedy. In fact, it's my favorite genre: slice-of-life. Additionally, it's my first story told entirely from Glory's point of view. I hope I captured her correctly! --Matau Mutually Beneficial The tight, painful cords cut into Glory’s body, cutting off the circulation to her legs. Cold, hard shackles of metal bound her in place even more. The floor was cold stone that reminded her of the awful Kingdom of the Sea’s cell. She forced her eyes open. The room, or more probably cell, was small, cramped, and shadowed. A narrow window let in a sliver of moonlight, illuminating the far wall. A few plants grew through the cracked ground. But what caught her eyes most was the pile of dark scales opposite her. He was far larger than she was, but he seemed to have the weight of a mountain upon his massive shoulders. He lay unmoving, and she could barely see him breathe. He looked far, far older than any NightWing she had ever seen, and the terrible burns on his scales only completed the image of a broken, miserable dragon left to rot. It was clear that the NightWing was in enormous pain. She felt a twinge of pity, which she swiftly crushed. After all, these were the NightWings—the dragons who had ruined her life, made up the prophecy, and tried to wipe out her tribe! They deserved everything they got! The NightWing elder opened his eyes and looked at her from under his wing. Most of his face was obscured, but she could still tell that something sparkled in his eye. A tear? Of what? Happiness? Sadness? Or… maybe not a tear? Maybe something else? Glory tried to match his gaze, but he hid his head under his wing. Guess he doesn’t want to talk, she mentally muttered. Well, I don’t ''have to be nice. If he’s going to be huffy, there’s no reason I shouldn’t be the same to him.'' The huge NightWing groaned in agony. “Wh-who are y—” Before he could finish, he broke into a furious fit of coughing, gasping for breath. A few specks of blood flew out of his mouth. He collapsed, barely able to breathe, shuddering from the pain. After he finally caught his breath, he coughed, much more quietly this time, “Who are you? Where did you come from?” Glory hesitated. As harmless as this weak old NightWing seemed, she didn’t want to share her real name. Still, if he found out she was lying… “I’d rather not say. I’ve just met you, and I don’t think you’d want me to know your name.” His pained expression darkened. He growled, his anger slightly rising, “No. I wouldn’t. And believe me, you don’t want to know my name. You wouldn’t like it.” Glory had a weird feeling. Something strange seemed to be going on, but she didn’t know what. Why does he think I wouldn’t like his name? And why did he get angry when asked? Out loud, she asked, “Anyway, do you know how to get out of here? Or do you at least have an idea?” He coughed blood again, but managed to respond, “I have an idea, but that is all.” With another groan of pain, he reached behind him. “I managed to find a key,” he whispered hoarsely. “But it doesn’t fit my lock. Perhaps… it might fit yours?” He held it outstretched, in a shaky, weak claw. Glory stretched, trying to reach it, but her bonds held her tight. She twisted again, and the chain shifted enough for her to reach out. She tried to grab it, but their talons were still a few inches apart. She groaned, wincing in pain. Just a little further… With a supreme effort of will, she managed to hook one talon around the hoop at the top. “Yes!” she yelled out loud, thrilled. She quickly put the key in a lock around her wrist, and turned it. To her utter disappointment, it stayed tight around her. A crushing feeling settled in her stomach. “Well,” she muttered, “guess we’re not getting out of here.” The old dragon quietly said, “Wait. You might have had it in upside-down. Try the other way.” She did as he asked, even though she was pretty sure it wouldn’t work. Amazingly, the chain clicked off, and she moved her newly-freed arm. A few more clicks and cuts, and she was free from the wall. “Thank you! Thank you so much!” she exclaimed, a grin appearing on her face. “I’ll try to get you out too!” She hurried over, examining his bonds. They were far less tight than hers. He’d clearly lost a lot of weight since being brought here. “I’m not very strong, but I can try to help…” she said sadly. “Do you know what to do?” He nodded, almost imperceptibly, and whispered with a wince, “Yes. Please undo these bonds. I’m not strong enough.” She dug a talon into a screw, and slowly turned it. The old bolt creaked, and it quickly came out. Rust rubbed off onto her claw. After she had turned the rest, the old dragon took a deep, deep breath. “Thank you,” he whispered. “But please, I must know your name. Who are you, savior of mine?” She hesitated, unsure. What’s the danger? I just saved him. Besides, he can’t hurt me even if he wanted to. She answered, a little apprehensively, “I am Queen Glory, ruler of the RainWings and NightWings. But who are you?” His eyes clouded over with hatred. “'Glory,'” he hissed furiously. “The conqueror of my tribe. I should have recognized you at first, but it has been many years since I have last seen you.” With a low growl, he answered, “And I am Morrowseer, the rightful regent of my tribe in absence of a queen.” Glory felt a kind of dizziness, as blood rushed to her head. “''You,” she snarled. “You tried to kill me and my friends. You made up the prophecy. You were going to wipe out my entire tribe.” She snapped her jaws open, venomous fangs pointed at his snout. “You deserve to die.” Morrowseer growled. “If I do, so do you. You tried to kill ''me and my friends. You did kill many of my allies. You conquered and subjugated my tribe.” He stood up, towering over Glory. “Are you so sure you are the hero here?” She roared, “I AM! You are evil! You’ve ruined so many lives!” He snorted with contempt. “You still think I’m evil? Look around, Glory. So. Have. '''You.'” She felt something breaking inside her, but she refused to show it. “No, I haven’t!” she cried. “If you NightWings had tried diplomacy before kidnapping innocent RainWings, we would have happily let you live in the rainforest under your own government!” Morrowseer’s eyes flashed. “You think we didn’t consider that?” he whispered furiously. “We spent months debating it! We decided that it was too big a risk! Why wouldn’t you just kill us all once you knew how weak we were?” He continued, actually ''sadly, “I never have liked killing. I have hated hurting other dragons all my life.” His voice hardened. “But, whether I liked it or not, I did what I believe was necessary to save my people, and I do not regret it.” Glory looked at him again. To her shock, she saw tears in his eyes. What’s wrong with me? Why am I not killing him? And more importantly, why isn’t he killing me? He could have already done it, and he has no reason not to… She said, confused, “I… I know how you feel. I too have killed dragons in cold blood, but I did it to protect the dragons I care about. I don’t like it either…” She averted her eyes to hide her tears. Morrowseer bent his head to her level. “I have come to see something in you which I haven’t seen before. I have realized that you are very much like me. You, too, fight for your tribe and friends, and you, too, are willing to kill to save them. We are more alike than either of us would like to admit.” Glory nodded sadly. “We are very alike.” Morrowseer looked away. “And… I am sorry I had RainWings kidnapped. You were right; we should have tried harder to find a peaceful resolution. And because we didn’t, both tribes and the world at large suffered.” Glory looked away too. “I’m sorry we dragonets were so reckless and so ill-advised. Our immaturity led to so many errors. If I had tried calling a meeting with you, you wouldn’t have been left at the volcano, and Viper wouldn’t have died. Instead, I let my anger and fears blind me to the best solution.” He looked back towards her, determination flaring in his eyes. “Let’s make a deal, here and now,” he said, the steel in his voice returning. “Let’s agree to work together to help both our tribes and the whole world, Glory. You are the queen of two tribes and one of the five most loved dragons alive, and in leadership, I am the most experienced, skilled, cunning and intelligent NightWing alive. And together, we would make a mutually beneficial alliance. We could be the greatest leaders the world has ever seen.” She replied, “I think that’s a very good idea, Morrowseer. I’ll give you back control of the NightWings, partly because you know more about how to lead them than I do, and partly because I think it’s a good thing.” Morrowseer fell to his knees, sobbing. After he got control of his emotions, he whispered, “Thank you. That is kind beyond anything I would have ever dreamt you would have done for me.” He smiled, and looked away. “I do have something for you as well. It’s nowhere near as valuable, but… thanks to some top-secret developments in science, I might be able to learn who your parents are.” Her jaw dropped, and she gasped. “''What?!'' Really? I… Morrowseer…” A few tears rolled down her snout. “That is a truly wonderful thing to do, Morrowseer. I would have never thought it possible, and if you can really do it… then consider us even.” Morrowseer said, his eyes still wet, “I don’t know if it will work for sure or not, but I will do my best to find out who they are.” Suddenly, something occurred to her. “But first, we have to get out of here. Do you know how to?” Morrowseer shook his head for a moment, and then chuckled again. “No, but with the two of us working together, it’s virtually guaranteed.” Category:Fanfictions Category:Fanfictions (Semi-Canon) Category:Fanfictions (Incomplete) Category:Content (Matau99)